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Because death becomes permanent in the already-difficult classic version ofWorld of Warcraft, leveling to 60 becomes less of a race and more of a test of endurance. The best leveling route inHardcore WoWis not a single path, but ratherseveral zones being slowly completed at the same time, alternating between as quests become too difficult to overcome.
Alliance players will spend the majority of their 1-60 leveling time in the Eastern Kingdoms, but be prepared for some long journeys across the sea to reach zones like Ashenvale, Tanaris, Un’Goro Crater, and others later on down the line. Following this guide to the best Alliance level routeHardcore WoWplayers will remain relatively safe throughout the entire experience – provided they don’t get too confident, that is.
Where To Go From Level 1 to 10 In Hardcore WoW
All Three Alliance Starting Zones: Elwynn Forest, Dun Morogh, & Teldrassil
After starting a new character, finish the starter zone – Coldridge Valley, Northshire Abbey, or Shadowglen – then complete the first handful of low-level quests available in the first hub. When things start to get challenging, head to another starter zone and complete green quests there to level up a bit more. Continue traveling from zone to zone, outleveling enemies and quests as best as possible, until around level 12, when players can start picking up quests in the secondary Alliance areas too.
Alliance players can travel between Elwynn Forest and Dun Morogh with relative ease via the Deeprun Tram, but between the Eastern Kingdoms and Teldrassil is a bit more difficult. As deathruns through the Wetlands to get to Menethil Harbor aren’t an option inWoW Hardcore, players must seek out a Mage or Warlock toget summoned between the two areas.
Level 11 to 20 Alliance Route & Zones
Loch Modan, Westfall, Darkshore
In this level bracket, players will be spending most of their time in Loch Modan, Westfall, and Darkshore. It’s best to start in Loch Modan and Westfall as the areas are much more active than Darkshore. Several quests will have players travel between the Human and Dwarf/Gnome starting zones, too, so staying in the Eastern Kingdoms ends up being much more efficient.
At around Level 16 or 17, players should head to Darkshore via portal, where quests will still be green and the large zone will beless of a burden to traverse. Complete quests here until around Level 19, then head back to Loch Modan and Westfall to finish up the last batch of high-teens-level quests.
Level 21 to 30 Alliance Route & Zones
Redridge Mountains, Ashenvale, Wetlands, & Duskwood
Around Level 21 the number of players tends to thin out – getting to Level 20 alone is a huge achievement, but don’t pat yourself on the back just yet. The Redridge Mountains, Ashenvale, the Wetlands, and Duskwood are some of the hardest zones inHardcore WoWbecause most classes don’t have a reliable selection of defensives until late into the level bracket, if not around Level 30.
Start in Ashenvale and the Redridge Mountains in the early brackets, which caninvolve a lot of traveling back and forthbetween continents. Be sure to get the flight points in Ironforge and Menethil Harbor (via the ship from Auberdine) to make this less of a pain. It’s important to level in Ashenvale because an escort quest found in the zone will reward players with the LIght of Elune, a one-time consumable that prevents all damage.
Around Level 26, start to head into Duskwood and the Wetlands, but only enough to continue leveling. Head back to finish off Ashenvale and Redridge Mountains around Level 28, alongside the elite quests, and wrap up Duskwood and Wetlands as you continue into the 30s.
Level 31 to 40 Alliance Route & Zones
Around Level 30, things start to ease up a bit. Every class will have a list of defensive cooldowns to use, Talent choices will begin to feel impactful, professions like Engineering start to truly prove their value, and without PvP, some of the game’s most notorious zones become much simpler.
After finishing up in the Wetlands, head into Hillsbrad Foothills to Southshore, and complete the first handful of quests available there. Then, complete Duskwood and head south into Stranglethorn – don’t worry too much about encountering other players here, be more wary of enemy factionguards that will enable PvP automatically on sight.
Spend some time traveling between these two zones in the low-to-mid levels of this bracket, then around level 36 players should head to the Arathi Highlands and Desolace. There aren’t as many quests available here – a running theme with zones until the end of the game – but they do reward useful items and, of course, lots of level-appropriate XP.
Level 41 to 50 Alliance Route & Zones
Dustwallow Marsh, Badlands, Tanaris, & The Hinterlands
At Level 40, players have a lot of experience under their belts, and hopefully enough Gold to get their mount and speed up the rest of the journey to Level 60. But all those hours spent on the characterdisappear in an instant with a single mistake, making it all the more important to ensure you are outleveling enemies and quests.
From Level 41 to 50, Alliance players will be spending most of their time in Tanaris, the Badlands, Dustwallow Marsh, and the Hinterlands. Start in Dustwallow Marsh from Theramore Isle, accessible via boat from Menethil Harbor. Then, head to the Badlands around Level 41 or 42, most easily accessed via Loch Modan. At around level 43 or 44, head to Tanaris by swimming along the coast from Theramore.
After completing some quests in Gadgetzan, rotate between the three zones until the late 40’s. After reaching around Level 48, head to the Hinterlands from the north Hillsbrad Foothills.
Level 51 to 60 Alliance Route & Zones
Un’Goro Crater, Blasted Lands, Felwood, Burning Steppes, Silithus, and the Plaguelands
Level 51 to 60 is actually less of a difficult challenge and more of a tedious journey, one which sees players traveling between five or six zones mostly grinding mobs instead of completing quests. There just aren’t as many quests in this level bracket, especially not for the enormous amount of XP players need to level upin theWoW Classicendgame. Get a podcast ready, and head to Un’Goro Crater towards the end of your journeys in Tanaris.
Avoid the especially deadly Devilsaur Queen that patrols, and do some quests in Marshal’s Refuge before heading north to Felwood for a few levels. At around 52 to 53, head across the ocean to the Blasted Lands by heading south from Stonard in the Swamp of Sorrows to Nethergarde Keep.
Alternate between these three zones until the mid 50s, then start the beginning quests of the Burning Steppes and Silithus. Around Level 56, head to the Western Plaguelands, then the Eastern Plaguelands, then finally Winterspring to complete quests and grind XP until the final bar is filled.
These six zones will comprise most of players' endgame inWoW Hardcore– and upon reaching Level 60, it’s up to you whether to go for an honorable death in a Mak’Gora, or start Raiding.
